Opening Statement:“Going in, we knew how good Arizona State was and we knew what a great game it was going to be. I’m really proud of the team effort. Normally this time of year you have set rotations, but we had guys who didn’t play that normally, play who were excellent on the bench, and guys that came in and gave us a great lift. Arizona State, this is a team that we think very highly of, with a great coaching staff. They shot 46 percent from three, and normally when you shoot 46 percent from three you’re going to win a lot of games. I just credit our guys for hanging in there and having enough to get it done.”

On the second half offensive burst:“Well there were a lot of free throws. That made for a lot of points, especially at the end. I’m really pleased how everyone stepped up and made big plays. Brady (Heslip) came in after sitting for a while and made a big three, Cory had been on the bench for a while with his fouls and he came in and made a big free throw. Everyone stepped up and made big plays when they were called upon.”

On the crowd:“It made a difference. I think the players can tell you that too. That’s the great thing, it’s easy to watch a game at home, but when you actually go to a game and get involved, you’re on the team, you’re helping the team win. At the end of the night, hopefully your voice is a little raspy and you’re tired from being up and down, but that makes a big difference. In postseason its win or go home, and no senior wants to put that jersey up, and nobody wants to end the year. No Big 12 team has ever won the NIT championship. We’ve been the closest with runner-up and we’d love to be the first to do that for the Big 12.”

On his free throw shooting:“Those are free points. How many did I miss? I should have had 30 points. That’s the way I see it. You’re missing free points.”

On if he knew he had so many assists during the game:“I mean I felt it. When we’re making shots, I’m usually the one passing it to them. It should be regular, but unfortunately you can’t make shots every time. Fortunately, they were making them tonight.”

On Pierre’s 16 assist night: “I honestly didn’t know he had 16 assists until just now. I mean I saw it the whole game, I just didn’t realize it. But we’re used to it. In practice he’s always finding us so we know to be in the right spot. He’s helping us, we’re helping him.”

On how long he’s been working on his mid-range jumper:“I’ve been comfortable with it all year. I took them earlier in the season too, just some games they weren’t falling. I’ve been comfortable with it all year and I’ve always been taking them.”

On making pressure free throws: “There’s a lot of pressure just because you don’t want to let your teammates down, but that’s what you have to live for if you love to play this game; you live to take those shots. Everybody does – Pierre takes big shots, makes big shots. There is pressure, but that’s what you play for.”

On the crowd’s help: “Especially tonight, they were huge tonight. They were great last game too, but when it’s a close game and its coming down to certain calls and when they get the ball and we’re on defense. They made a big difference, and I don’t know how many were there, but thank you to all of them.”

ARIZONA STATE QUOTES

Head Coach Herb Sendek

On the slow start in the first half:“I don’t think we ever felt like we pulled away, but we certainly got ourselves back in the game. You’re right, we started very slowly on the offensive end, especially. I think we were 4-for-17 out of the gates, so in a lot of respects, when we tied it 20 to 20 we were fortunate to still be in the game because we had missed some free throws. We had missed some shots at the basket, and really were having a hard time scoring. And then, to your point, we made some threes and got back in it.”

On Pierre Jackson’s performance:“He’s a very good player. Obviously he did his damage in two areas: getting to the free throw line, of which he did all the way down through the end when we were fouling, and then did a great job of creating for his teammates with 16 assists. That’s a lot of assists.”

On Jahii Carson getting Arizona State back in the game:“He just has a heart as big as the globe. He just plays. He gives everything he has, and he was in attack mode all the way through to the very end.”